HSN & Fort Desoto State Park, Fl 3/16/2011

Four or five years ago when I was still working, I was addicted to shopping on QVC & HSN. Not having a job and not having any room in the RV cured that addiction, but I still wanted to visit HSN while in St Petersburg. It was only 5 miles from our Largo backyard, so I convinced Joe to take me there. We got there and found out they didn't have shopping there.

The guard man told us, if we went 5 miles back, there was an HSN Outlet Stores. So we went there instead. I found some bargain at 50 to 75 % off, and got my shopping fix. When I got home, I looked at my receipt, and found that one item was not on the receipt and one was charged too much. Joe always tells me, I need to check my receipts before leaving the store. It's hard to teach an old girl new tricks.

3/17/2011

We stopped back at the HSN Outlet so I could pay for the one item that I got free, and to get the lower price, I was over charged for on another item. I also returned an item and found new towels we needed for the Nest, ( to replace towels we have had for 17 years) so the trip back was not a total loss. Then we headed across a bay toward Fort Desoto State Park.

We took a stroll out on the fishing Pier first. Fort Desoto was under construction, so we were not able to view it. Next visit we will see it.

Right off the bat, we saw a guy pulling in a catch. We looked over the edge only to see a dolphin stealing the man's mackerel.

We walked to the end of the pier, watching the dolphins waiting for another fisherman's catch.

Does anyone know what kind of bird or duck this one is? I can't figure this one out?

These little guys are fun to watch, as they dive under for fish.

I got a really good shot on this one, with his blue eyes and beautiful pattern on his back.

We found out that you don't need a fishing license here on the pier at this state park.

View of the beach and one of the dolphins.

Someone asked the fisherman what he had caught. He said, the big one was a red, and the smaller ones were sea trouts.

Snowy egret watching fisherman for treats.

Snowy egrets are suppose to have yellow feet. This guy seems to have orange feet. If he is something else let me know.

Small boat pulling a barge.

Other people taking picture of the fisherman's catch.

After the pier, we drove down the road to walk further on the beach.

A bird reserve on the right side of the path.

The north Desoto Beach was rated # 1 in the nation in 2005, and is rated a Top Ten beach in America.

Temperature was in low 80's

When walking on the beach, the 80 something weather is perfect, with the ocean breeze!

We come to the end of this beach where the bird reserve begins.

Bird Reserve

This is a American Oyster-Catcher, and he is very shy and won't let you get very close.

This day was just delightful!

As we walk back to the car, I spy these grasshoppers hiding in the weeds. I got really close as they were having too much fun to pay attention to me.

We stopped at the pier where you can catch a ferry over to Egmont Key Island. That will have to be another day also. Shelling is suppose to be good there.

Information about the time for the ferry to Egmont Key.

We walked out on the fishing pier.

This is the ferry pick up at the pier.

At the end of the pier this brown pelican was sitting out on these post, out in the water. He had fishing string coming out of his mouth on the other side. On the pier, there were signs telling you how to catch, & hold birds that needed attention. There were also crates to put them in if they needed to be attended by park help. i am not swimming out there to catch this guy!

At the end of the pier, Joe took a picture of the bridge we took to cross over the Tampa Bay to continue our trip to southern Florida.

I think Joe said it was five miles across.

Next we went to the East Beach at Fort Desoto State Park. It has lots of shade and pavilions for picnics.

The beach itself at the East Beach, is not as good. Much narrower.

Joe pulls up another close up of the bridge. I could not see the bridge through the view finder, with the sun glare.

At this beach you could see many colorations of the water here, due to shallow areas.

We definitely would have loved to camp at this state park, but it was full, and we did not know about the park , until just a few days earlier. There is a lot to do here. It has bike trail. You can rent kayaks. When the fort is done, you can see the fort. A lot of the camping spots, sit right on the bay. The camping spots have water and electricity. They have a dog park and a dog beach. Next visit to Florida we will schedule ahead to stay here.

On the way home we had to wait at a draw bridge as a sail boat past threw. Joe and I would love to own one of those homes on the bay.